ARG asks Armenia’s public services regulatory commission to revise upwards current prices of natural gas

YEREVAN, January 23, /ARKA/. Armenia's national gas distribution company ArmRosGazprom and its subsidiary Transgaz Ltd have asked Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) to reconsider upwards the current prices of natural gas charged from consumers.

Under a Russian-Armenian agreement Russia's Gazprom is set to decrease the price it charges for gas supplied to Armenia. The price of Russian gas for Armenia rose from $110 to $154 per one thousand cubic meters in 2009 April and is expected to rise to $180 from April 1, 2010.

The company’s press office said the application calls for upward revision of prices for consumers which use up to 10,000 cubic meters of gas a month and suggests a pricing formula for consumers that use 10,000 cubic meters and more. The application calls also for revision of prices for ARG’s services, distribution and transportation.

According to the application, ARG wants households to pay 136,000 Drams per one thousand cubic meters of gas, up from the current 96,000 Drams, VAT included.

The company has also proposed to change the pricing formula for consumers that use 10,000 and more cubic meters of gas a month.

It also asked the PSRC to increase the price of transporting one thousand cubic meters of gas from 15.8 Drams to 47 drams. The price for distribution of one thousand cubic meters is asked to be risen from 9,900 Drams to 15,600 Drams.

ARG is the sole gas supplier to Armenia. Russian Gazprom owns 80% in it, the rest is held by the Armenian government. (377.75 Drams ).-0-